Elevator car switch



Jan. 8, 1952 c. E. ORR

ELEVATOR CAR SWITCH Filed Dec. 31, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

' CARROLL E. ORR

A TORNEYS Jan. 8, 1952 c. E. ORR

ELEVATOR CAR SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 31, 1947 Jan. 8,:1952 c,QRR 2,581,969

ELEVATOR CAR SWITCH Filed Dec. 51, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

CARROL L E., ORR

WTORNZZ Patented Jan. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELEVATOR CARSWITCH Carroll E. Orr, Westfiem, N. J., as ignor to Islevat r SuppliesCompany, Inc Perth Ainb'o'y, N. J. a corporation of New JerseyApplication December 31, 1947 Serial No; 794,942

(01. etc-18) 8 claims.

The present invention relates to elevator car control switches andparticularly to such switches which are adapted to be incorporated in anolevator car control panel and which are arranged so that the switchmoves from a running position to another position upon receipt of anoutside or floor call.

The switch of this invention is arranged to be mounted on the elevatorin such a manner that a movement of the handle in the up directioncauses the elevator car to rise and movement of the handle in a downdirection causes the car to descend. The handle is moved into either oneof its running positions and the switch is arranged so that the handleis held in this position magnetically until a floor signal is receivedat which time the handle is released and moves under spring tensiontoward its center or neutral position. The operator may then operate thehandle to its center position to stop the car at the floor at which thesignal originated or may restore it to its running position and fail torespond to the floor signal. If desired the switch may be so arrangedthat if the operator does not move the switch subsequent to itsactuation in response to a door signal the car will stop at the floor atwhich the signal originated. Of course, in this case the operator canbypass the floor only by restoring the switch to its running position.

It is an object of the invention to provide an elevator car switch inwhich the switch is held in running position by magnetic means.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a switch in whichthe circuit to the electromagnets is tie-energized by operation of afloor signal and the switch spring returned to a new position thusnotifying the operator of a receipt of a car signal and making itpossible for him to respond to that signal or to ignore it as hedesires.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a switch which iscompact and which is readily incorporated in the elevator car controlpanel.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a switch Or" the typedescribed which may be readily mounted in such a manner that themovement of the switch handle corresponds in direction to the carmovement initiated thereby.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description when taken in connection with the annexed drawingsin which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the switch as it would appearinstalled in the control panel of an elevator, the panel cover, ofcourse, being omitted; V

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the switch of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the elevator carswitch of my invention, the view being taken on the plane of the line3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the plane of theline 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing particularly thespring means for returning the switch to its center or neutral position,this view being taken on the line 55 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the spring in itsextended position.

Referring now to the drawings, the switch elements are mounted upon abase it, this base being generally rectangular in shape and beingprovided with the four feet I l by means of which the switch structureis mounted in the elevator car control box. I

Extending across the base is a shaft I2 which mounted in the bearings i3and I4, these bearings being supported in the outwardly extendingbracket arms [5 and 16 (Figures 1 and 4). Shaft [2 has fixed theretoportions of different diameters as I! and an outer sleeve !8. The sleeveI8 as Well as the central portion of the shaft 12 are drilled asindicated at iiiand a plunger 2| extends through the drilled hole beingprovided at its outer end with a handle 22. The sleeve :8 iseounterbored at 23 and a spring 24 is provided which surrounds theplunger and one end of which seats against the base of the counterbore23, the other end resting upon a washer 25 held in place on the plunger2| by means of the cotter pin 26. When in its central position, as shownin Figure 4', the inner end of the plunger 2! seats in a hole in thestop plate 27. The stop plate 2? is fastened to the base It in anysuitable manner, as by means of the screws 28.

It will be seen that in order to rotate the shaft I2 it is necessary tomove the handle 22 outwardly against the resistance of spring 24 thusfreeing the end of the plunger from the hole in stop plate 21, afterwhich the handle may be returned to its inner position by means of thespring.

A means is provided for urging the handle and its cooperating parts justabove described toward the central position. This means comprises aspring 30 which is coiled about a reduced portion of the shaft l2 andthe two ends of which extend downwardly, as seen in Figures 4, 5 and 6,one end lying on either side of a stationary pin 3i fixed in the bracket15. Extending between the two ends of the spring 30 is another pin 32which is fixed in the sleeve [8. As will be clear by reference toFigures 5 and 6, movement of the handle assembly in either directioncauses extension of the spring which, therefore, causes return of thehandle to its central position upon release in a manner which will behereinafter described.

Fixed to the shaft l2 for rotation therewith is a hub 33 which carries agear segment 3d. The gear segment 34 meshes with a rack 3'5 whichextends longitudinally of the base Ill. The rack 35 is part of a framecomprising the two members 33, these members being groovednear theirlower edges and being guided for sliding movement along a bar 31 fixedto the base [0 and spaced therefrom by means of the spacer bar 38. Theframe member mentioned in addition to the rack 35 and the two bars orframe members 36 includes the switch operating cams 4t and the twomagnet armatures 4! (see Figure 1). The elements mentioned are rigidlyfastened together to form a unitary structure except that the armatures4! are mounted on pins filo. which are mounted in holes in the framebars 36, the holes being considerably greater in diameter than thediameter of the pins Ma. The bars 3d are offset from each other so thatany particular pin 4 la lies against the forward edge of a hole in onebar 36 and the rear edge of a hole in the second bar 36 when thearmature 4| lies against the pole pieces 46 of the holding magnetsshortly to be described. i 7

It will be clear from the above description that when the handle 22 ismoved in the downward direction the rack 35 and cooperating framemembers are moved upwardly as seen in Figure 1. In so moving the frame,operating cams 30 come into contact with the rollers 42. These rollersare mounted at the ends of arms 43 which are fixed to the shafts 4:!which shafts are the operating members for switches 45 which are ofcommon form and the interior structure of which is not shown. Theseswitches are connected in the elevator control circuits in a knownmanner so that closure thereof effects movement of the elevator car inthe direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the controlhandle 22.

Upon movement of the rack frame to either of its extreme positions oneof the armature 4| comes into contact with the faces of the pole pieces48 of an electromagnet 41, the magnets being mounted one on either endof the base It through utilization of a bracket 48. Since the circuitsare arranged so that the magnets 47 are energized while the car is inmotion, it will be clear that the handle having once been moved into aparticular running position is held in that position by virtue of themagnetic circuit through the pole pieces 46 and the armature 4|. Asstated, the signal circuits are so arranged that upon the operation of afioor signal the magnets are momentarily de-energized. As a result, thearmature is released from the magnet pole faces and the spring 30returns the control handle assembly towards its central neutralposition.

The lower pole pieces 46 are provided with coiled springs 50 (see Fig.3) which extend around them and protrude slightly beyond their ends.These springs serve to aid the armatures 45 in breaking away from themagnet poles and accelerate the initial movement of the rack 35 l andits cooperating frame towards the central position. Springs 50 also givea slight kick" to the handle 22 thus giving the operator a definitesignal that a floor call has been made.

However, the end of the plunger strikes against the plate 2! and,therefore, the handle is not restored to neutral position by the springalone but must be pulled outwardly against the tension'of spring 24 andmanually restored to the central position. The switch may be so builtthat the movement from the extreme running position to the position inwhich the plunger 2i rests against the stop plate 21 is inefiective torestore the pair of switches 45 to normal in which case the elevator carwill go past the floor at which the signal originated unless theoperator manually restores the control handle to its neutral position.On the other hand, the bars or earns 40 may be made of such a lengththat the movement of the rack'assembly under urge of the spring 30permits the switches 45 to restore to their normal position. In thisevent, the car will stop at the floor in response to the signal and theoperator can by-pass that floor only by returning the control handle 22to its running position.

The armatures M are mounted in the bars 36 in a manner which makes itpossible to manually operate the switch even though one of the magnets41! is energized. The armatures ii are provided with pins 4m whichextend into relatively large holes 3611 in the bars 36. The two bars 36are staggered with respect to one another so that when either armature4! is considered the pins thereof lie one against the for- Ward edge ofa hole 36a and the other against the rear edge of the opposite hole3611. As a result of this arrangement, the armature is rocked into aplane which is at an angle to that of the pole faces prior todisengagement from the pole face, thereby gradually breaking the fluxrather than increasing the air gap equally throughout the area of thepole faces.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it willbe understood that modifications thereof may be utilized within thescope and spirit of my invention. Consequently, I wish to be limited notby the foregoing description but, on the contrary, solely by the claimsgranted to What is claimed is:

1. In an elevator car switch, in combination, a base, a shaft mounted inbearings fixed to said base, a handle mounted on said shaft foroscillation therewith and independently of said shaft for reciprocationin a plane transverse to the shaft axis, means urging said handletowards said base, a depression in said base cooperating with one end ofsaid handle and normally looking said shaft in a particular rotativeposition with respect to said base, a second spring means urging saidshaft towards a central position, a gear segment fixed to said shaft androtatable by movement of said handle, a rack slidably mounted on saidbase, said rack meshing with said gear segment, contact operating meansmounted adjacent either end of said rack, said contact operating meansbeing adapted to be operated upon movement of the rack to either of itsextreme positions, and magnetic means for holding said rack in either ofits extreme positions.

2. In an-elevator car switch, in combination, a base, a shaft mounted inbearings fixed to said base, a handle'mounted on said shaft foroscillation therewith and independently of said shaft for reciprocationin a plane transverse to the shaft axis, means urging said handletowards said base, a depression in said base cooperating with one end ofsaid handle and normally looking said shaft in a particular rotativeposition with respect to said base, a second spring means urging saidshaft towards a central position, a gear segment fixed to said shaft androtatable by movement of said handle, a rack slidably mounted on saidbase, said rack meshing with said gear segment, contact operating meansmounted adjacent either end of said rack, said contact operating meansbeing adapted to be operated upon movement of the rack to either of itsextreme positions, electromagnetic means mounted on said base adjacentthe extreme position of said rack, magnet armatures mounted on each endof said rack, said armatures being adapted to cooperate with saidelectromagnetic means to hold said rack in either of its extremepositions, and said second mentioned spring serving to return saidhandle, gear segment and rack towards the central position upondeenergization of said electromagnetic means.

3. A device according to claim 2 characterized in that the magnetarmatures are mounted for limited pivotal movement with respect to saidrack, whereby the mechanism may be readily manually restored to itscentral or neutral position without instantaneously interrupting theflux path through said electromagnet and armature.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 characterized in that eachelectromagnet comprises a pair of pole pieces having a magnet woundthereon and further characterized in that one of the pole pieces isprovided with an encircling coil spring which cooperates with theassociated magnet armature to aid in the initial restorative movement ofthe mechanism towards its central or neutral position.

5. A device as claimed in claim 2 characterized in that the magnetarmatures are provided with pins extending laterally therefrom, saidpins protruding into enlarged openings in bars fixed to the rack,whereby pivotal movement of the armatures is brought about upon manualrestoration of the device towards its central position.

6. A device according to claim 2 characterized I in that the magnetarmature is provided with laterally extending pins, said pins extendinginto enlarged holes in bars fixed to said rack, said bars and holesbeing offset with respect to each other, whereby movement of themechanism towards its central position causes pivotal movement of thearmatures with respect to the pole faces of said electromagnets torender the mechanism more readily manually restored towards centralposition.

7. A device according to claim 2 characterized in that the mechanism isrestored towards central position, the handle end preventing completerestoration except when the handle is manually moved transversely of theshaft against the spring tension.

8. In an elevator car switch, .in combination, a base, a shaft mountedin bearings fixed to said base, a handle mounted on said shaft foroscillation therewith and for reciprocation in a plane transverse to theshaft axis independently of said shaft, means urging said handle towardsaid base, a depression in said base cooperating with one end of saidhandle, normally locking said shaft in a particular rotative positionwith respect to said base, a spring means urging said shaft towards acentral position, a gear segment fixed to said shaft and rotatable bymovement of said handle, a rack slidably mounted on said base, said rackmeshing with said gear segment, contact operating means mounted adjacenteach end of said rack, said contact operating means being adapted to beoperated upon movement of the rack to either of its extreme positions,magnetic means for holding said rack in either of its extreme positions,and means for preventing movement of said shaft to its central positionunder the urge of said spring means whereby movement of said shafttoward central position upon releas by said holding means serves as asignal to the operator who may manually restore said gear segment andhandle to central position in response to such signal.

CARROLL E. ORR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 585,915 Johnston July 6, 1897671,106 Cowperthwait Apr. 2, 1901 757,880 Brown Apr. 19, 1904 771,344White Oct. 4, 1904 771,989 Mackintosh Oct. 11, 1904 1,963,484 BordenJune 19, 1934 2,140,354 Eames Dec. 13, 1938 2,252,245 Benson Aug. 12,1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 484,740 Germany Oct. 21, 1929792,736 France Oct. 28, 1935

